Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Bryan Hitch
Published by DC Comics
Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch delivered a solid debut last month. This time, they come out swinging as Batman trades fists with his murderous deduction. Batman going inside the mind of a murder victim to find the killer sounded crazy. It pays off, though.
Bryan Hitch illustrated a fight scene between the killer and Batman that screams crazy. The killer looked absolutely out of his mind and kept jumping kicking the Dark Knight, almost at will.
If that’s not enough, the dude is taunting Batman while wearing his victim’s face.
What made this fight stand out is that Batman had to resort to his gadgets to subdue the perpetrator.
Later on, Batman almost gets drawn upon by Gotham City Police officers. He also had another chat with Alfred about the peril of crime-fighting, and Gordon brings about another murder investigation.
Warren Ellis used those moments to highlight how close Batman has gotten or is getting to getting killing himself.
Alfred asking Bruce to supply his tech to the police and use his considerable resources differently is a subtle plea to retire the cape and cowl. Bruce only trusts himself to do the job and doesn’t want the technology turned on himself. Bruce is unwavering in his desire to make Gotham a safer place.
However, that won’t stop Alfred from trying. This is not exactly new ground being covered. Eillis composes this narrative in a way that is earnest, heartfelt, and a little bit eerie. The idea of Batman’s demise amid street-level detective work grounds the character while reiterating what makes him unique. It’s good to see Batman working the case again. Ellis’s fluid script and Hitch’s brings about a tale that is more profound than the litany of Batman books on the shelves today.
RATING: A-
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